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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26979538">Thawed Out</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alphabees/pseuds/Alphabees'>Alphabees</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prompts, Ficlets, Drabbles. [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Sports, Enemies to Lovers, Ficlet, Ice skating to be more specific, M/M, Not that they do much of that in the fic, Tumblr Prompt, sebastian being a dork, we love to see it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:00:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,989</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26979538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alphabees/pseuds/Alphabees</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For the AU + Trope + Prompt game</p><p>Sports AU + Enemies to Lovers + “If you're happy then so am I.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kurt Hummel/Sebastian Smythe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Prompts, Ficlets, Drabbles. [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Thawed Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As one of the newest skaters under the legendary Sue Sylvester’s tutelage, Kurt has been advised time and time again to suck up where it counts. He’s not willing to toss his dignity away for a few brownie points, but a little extra hard work never hurt anybody. According to Sue, elbow grease is the fourth most important ingredient to make a legendary figure skater (only narrowly beaten out for third place by subservience to one’s coach) and so he’s been given a task.</p><p>Some people would say that being asked to deep-clean the changing rooms by hand after a full day of skating was a gruelling, almost impossible challenge. Some people would also say it had very little to do with improving as a skater, even after hearing Sue’s monologue stamina being akin to a lizard’s tail (“Only by snapping it clean off can we ensure it will grow back twice as strong!”). Some people would say, Sue, that’s not how lizards work. Kurt was<em> some people</em> earlier on in the day, but here he is now, polishing tiles and sanitising benches.</p><p>It’s a pain in his ass to spend his evening shaving a few bucks off of Sue’s cleaning bill, but it would hurt a hell of a lot more to resist. Things could be much worse though - he’s alone, and there’s nothing stopping him from blasting whatever background noise he so chooses.</p><p>It’s exhausting work, especially after an exhausting day of practice, but the music helps. Singing along is a nice way to pass the time as he wipes the place down. He’s in the middle of belting his best rendition yet of Madonna’s Like A Virgin when the worst possible thing happens.</p><p>“Wow, Kurt,” says the world’s smarmiest voice. There’s cruel, mocking laughter behind it that makes the source instantly recognisable. “For the <em>very</em> first time?”</p><p>Of course it’s Sebastian. He’s a marvel to behold on the ice, graceful and awe-inspiring with every toe loop, Kurt has to admit that to himself. Will he ever admit it to Sebastian, though? Probably not, because he’s nauseating the second he’s not performing. Seriously. Kurt’s stomach starts doing flips every time he walks into the room. It’s got nothing to do with his dazzling smile that hangs on his lips, and everything to do with the teasing words that spill through them every time they pass one another. It’s always little comments about Kurt’s body or his (impeccable) sense of style, all of which have been building up for the past few weeks into resentment. Sebastian has barely left Kurt alone since Sue scouted him the month before. </p><p>“I’d ask why you’re so invested in the concept of me being touched, but if you don’t know Madonna’s greatest hits? Well, I just feel bad for you.” Kurt doesn’t look up from the particularly stubborn stain he’s been wrestling with for a few minutes now. </p><p>He hears footsteps, and then shivers as a warm breath rolls over the back of his neck and-- Sebastian’s crouched beside him for some reason. Kurt’s head whips round to face him, and Sebastian remains completely unfazed when they’re only inches apart.</p><p>“That one never comes out,” Sebastian informs him, looking unreasonably pleased about the whole thing. When he looks up from the spot in question their eyes meet, and then Sebastian smirks, which Kurt only knows because he’s looking at his lips now - and Sebastian catches him in the act. The only hope he has for redemption is that, for a second there, he could have sworn Sebastian was looking at his too. “...You’re so fine.”</p><p>“Wh-- What?”</p><p>“And you’re mine.” </p><p>Oh.</p><p>Sebastian rises to his feet, his smirk growing obnoxiously wider by the second. Kurt stays put, the cloth in his hand remaining useless over the stain as he braces himself for whatever snide comment will come next, but it never arrives. Instead, Sebastian opens up the storage cupboard and all of a sudden he’s using the handle of a mop as a microphone with a surprising display of passion. </p><p>“Make me strong! Yeah you make me--”</p><p>“Sebastian?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Mopping,” Sebastian answers plainly, beginning to do so as if there’s nothing more to be said about it.</p><p>Kurt watches him, confused and somewhat alarmed by the generosity of it all. “Why?”</p><p>When Sebastian looks up, he doesn’t stop moving. “Because,” he shrugs, “this is a barbaric initiation ritual, and I remember all too well how sore I was when I finished.”</p><p>Ignoring the already present aching in his thighs, Kurt arches a wary eyebrow at Sebastian. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad…”</p><p>“You don’t think so? I ended up spending the night on that very bench,” Sebastian pauses, using the mop’s handle to point at the surface Kurt’s scrubbing, “because I couldn’t bear the thought of walking all the way out to my car.”</p><p>“You can’t be serious,” Kurt scoffs. “I’ll admit there are things I’d rather be doing than wiping up bucket-loads of sweat, but a little manual labour never killed anybody…”</p><p>Sebastian frowns a little at first, but then his expression morphs into something sceptical. “If you think it’s going to make you look stronger to break your back doing all of this on your own? Be my guest. I’m just trying to help you out.”</p><p>Sebastian Smythe is… <em>Just trying to help Kurt out.</em> Why? Kurt should question it further, he knows, but he’s exhausted and desperate to get out of the rink before he’s due to start warming up again in the morning. Cleaning the floor was a task he had been particularly dreading anyway. “Well… If you’re happy, so am I.”</p><p>To Kurt’s surprise, Sebastian really does look happy with that. When the song changes, Sebastian keeps humming along, and it’s strangely pleasant background noise for the task at hand. It’s still draining, but Kurt has to admit that there’s a sense of relief knowing that, once he’s done wiping everything down, he’s free to go. </p><p>It’s all thanks to Sebastian who, for the past five minutes or so, has been throwing unsuccessfully furtive looks Kurt’s way. Kurt can only wonder what kind of scheme he’s cooking up but he chooses to focus on getting them both out of there as quickly as possible. Or, he tries to, at least. </p><p>Sebastian is fidgety, and it’s distracting. Usually he’s so poised, mystifyingly elegant in every movement, a stark contrast to how crude and brash he can be. It’s difficult not to watch him when he’s in his element but now, when he’s clearly a long way out of it, it’s even harder. </p><p>“You’re staring,” says Sebastian, the hypocrite.</p><p>“Well, you look like you’re about to hurl. That’s going to mean a lot more mopping for you…”</p><p>Sebastian snorts, smiling down at the newly shining floors. “I’m just hungry.”</p><p>Kurt doesn’t say anything in response, but he feels it when Sebastian starts watching him again, as if he’s expecting something else.</p><p>“I could… Really go for something to eat.”</p><p>Another pause. Again, Kurt says nothing, because it seems like he’s thinking aloud at this point.</p><p>“After this, I mean... You know... Dinner?”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Kurt finally replies, because he does in fact know what dinner is. </p><p>Sebastian stops mopping abruptly.</p><p>“So-- You’re saying yes?”</p><p>Kurt blinks, now definitely looking at Sebastian like he’s lost his mind. “Saying yes to what?”</p><p>“Dinner,” Sebastian elaborates, as if he’s the one making sense here. “With me.”</p><p>There’s a long, stretched out silence between them. As Kurt’s face contorts into an expression of sheer confusion, Sebastian’s is slowly approaching mortification.</p><p>“Oh my god--”</p><p>“Did you--”</p><p>“Ignore that, I’m--”</p><p>“Why the hell would you--”</p><p>“Nope, no, I…”</p><p>“...Sebastian,” Kurt begins, swallowing the urge to shudder at the awkwardness of it all. “Did you just ask me out?”</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah, I did,” Sebastian answers, decisive and defensive and jittery all at once. The scowl on his face is almost comical in how obviously forced it is. He holds the mop in both hands, one wrapped around the other, dramatically holding it in front of him like that wizard character Sam often impersonates, as if he can magically keep his pride intact. “What are you going to do about it?”</p><p>Kurt’s cheeks flush. If only they were out by the rink - maybe he could blame it on the cold that way. It’s not that he wants to go out with Sebastian, not in the slightest. The issue at hand is that Kurt doesn’t get asked out often; in fact, it’s only happened twice in his life, and both of those occasions were unmitigated disasters. The first was a boy who just so happened to visit his first rink and catch his eye, and he seemed so debonair and charming, but then it turned out that he <em>always</em> gelled his hair like that and all he wanted to talk about was his favourite brand of it. The second wasn’t so bad, but he was a little hyperactive for Kurt’s tastes - at least in that case they stayed friends.</p><p>“What’s your angle, Smythe?”</p><p>“My angle?” Sebastian blinks. For a moment, they’re as confused as each other. “I’m hitting on you. Obviously. Like always.”</p><p>Never mind. Kurt’s definitely more confused. “Like always?”</p><p>Just like that, the confusion evens out between them again. Kurt would honestly love it if at least one of them knew what was going on. </p><p>“Yes, like always. <em>’Nice spin, Hummel.’</em> Or, how about, <em>’damn, could those jeans be any tighter?’</em> Perhaps you’d prefer all the times I’ve brought up your ass in casual conversation?”</p><p>Kurt shakes his head. His mouth opens, and then shuts again when Kurt realises he has no idea what he wants to say with it. While his face starts to heat up, Sebastian’s turns quizzical, then knowing, then smug.</p><p>“Is that what you thought that was? Casual conversation?” Sebastian snorts, clearly back on his high horse after stumbling over his words half a minute ago. </p><p>“I thought it was teasing. All of it-- are you trying to tell me you always sound that sarcastic?”</p><p>“I don’t know; you tell me,” Sebastian replies, sarcastically. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>Ah.</em>
</p><p>At last, it’s Kurt’s turn to smirk. “Oh, wow. You really thought you were being smooth…?”</p><p>Sebastian falters, his eyes now fixed on a point on the wall behind Kurt. Suddenly his confidence is feigned, and it’s so blatantly obvious to Kurt that he has to try not to laugh.</p><p>“I get it,” he huffs, picking the mop up. Kurt expects him to stash it back in the closet and see himself out, or maybe that he’ll throw it. Instead, he keeps going. He mops with a downright silly looking pout on his face, and this time Kurt can’t help a laugh. “You don’t have to laugh at me. I know how to take no for an answer.”</p><p>“I didn’t say no,” Kurt reminds him, without thinking. It just comes out because he doesn’t like seeing Sebastian’s grumpy frown. </p><p>“You didn’t?” </p><p>Well, now Sebastian looks so hopeful. It almost makes sense now that Kurt’s thinking about it - if all of those comments were an honest attempt at flirting, he put a lot of time into it.  Besides, when Kurt takes the time to look at him properly (because he’s never stared at Sebastian before, no, not one bit) he could do an awful lot worse. Smooth complexion, handsome sharp features, and his body… Well, they do share a changing room, and Sebastian’s never shy about it. Probably because, from what Kurt has seen, he has no reason to be.</p><p>“I’m a little hungry myself,” Kurt thinks aloud, trying not to grin too obviously. “Maybe if I can see my reflection by the time I’m done--”</p><p>“On it.” Sebastian catches on quick, it seems. </p><p>As the sound of furious mopping fills his ears, Kurt decides he doesn’t need to hide his smile after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I finally got something out! Whew! I've been soooo busy with prepping to move, finding the muse to write fics has been tricky. I'm hoping once I'm all settled in, I'll have plenty of time for more! I'm going to concentrate on prepping for Kurtbastian Week in November for a little while, but once I've made some decent headway with that, I'll dust off all the other updates I'm working on, I promise! They're all happening.......Super slowly........... </p><p>Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this!</p><p>A huge thank-you to my buds Carly and TheSubtextMachine - the latter of which is RUNNING said Kurtbastian week! If you love this pairing as much as we do please check out https://kbweek2020.tumblr.com/ ! We'd love to see more writers getting involved with it, whether that's reading and commenting, writing, or any other fanworks you can think of.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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